Bender mystery remains

Jeffri Chadiha, OF THE EXAMINER STAFF

Published 4:00 am, Monday, June 1, 1998

Two days have passed and the shocking death of Leon Bender remains mysterious.

An autopsy performed on the Raiders defensive tackle Sunday revealed no conclusive cause of his death. His body was found in the Marietta, Ga., home of Terry Bolar, a partner of agent Eugene Parker, Saturday morning. Bender was unconscious and not breathing and couldn't be revived after being driven to a local hospital.

Bender's family and Parker released a statement Sunday saying the death occurred from complications arising from a seizure (Bender had epilepsy) and that no drugs, alcohol or foul play contributed to the tragedy. Still, the final report on Bender's death won't be available for two or three months, according to Cobb County Police.

For now, his family, friends, and current and former coaches and teammates continue to seek ways to cope with his loss. Raiders senior assistant Bruce Allen held a conference call Sunday in which he expressed the organization's feelings about Bender.

"We've had a tragic loss and it's more tragic the more time we have to think about it," Allen said. "We lost a good father, son, husband, and friend. He was going to be a good citizen for Oakland. He had a great personality and he'll be missed severely."

Allen said the Raiders were aware of Bender's epilepsy. Bender had informed the team's medical staff and had also talked about the condition with physicians at the league's scouting combine in February.

Despite reports that Bender had seizures in high school in Santee, San Diego County, and had been denied a driver's license early in college because of the threat of seizures, the Raiders found no reason to suspect it would interfere with his football career, let alone his life.

"Everybody was aware of his epilepsy," Allen said. "It hadn't been a problem. With the proper medication, it appeared to be under control."

Bolar said he and Bender stayed home Friday night. He said Bender called his parents, and then his wife, Liza, and was on the phone with her until about 3 a.m.

"When he didn't come down, I pounded on the door, and Leon didn't answer," Bolar told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I thought he was joking. Then I found him naked, on the floor, as if he had been ready to get into the shower."

The Raiders selected the 6-foot-5, 300-pound Bender, 22, with the 31st overall selection in April's NFL draft. He had been a standout at Washington State, overcoming academic problems to help lead the Cougars to the Rose Bowl and blossom into a strong pro prospect. He participated in the Raiders' post-draft minicamp in April and was scheduled to fly to Oakland Monday in preparation for another minicamp later this week.

Bender was so eager to become a pro that he wasted little time in agreeing to a contract. He signed a five-year, $3.45 million deal on May 12, a package that included a $1.2 million signing bonus.

Bender's family - his wife and 2-year-old daughter, Imani, and his mother, Antoinette - have received the signing bonus. The NFL also will prorate that money over the length of the contract so the Raiders won't be penalized for their investment. The league had created such a policy after the San Diego Chargers encountered a rash of deaths a few years back, tragedies that left them with salary-cap problems.

The Raiders haven't made any official plans for a memorial service for Bender, although Allen said the organization is helping the family in all possible ways. There was to have been a service in Pullman, Wash., on Monday.&lt;